Title:

Feather morphology at the ultrastructural level

Subtitle:

Acta Ornithologica, vol. 34, no. 2 ; Morfologia piór na poziomie ultrastruktury

Creator:

Dyck, Jan

Contributor:

Polska Akademia Nauk. Muzeum i Instytut Zoologii ; Meeting of the European Ornithologists' Union (2 ; 1999 ; Gdańsk)

Publisher:

Muzeum i Instytut Zoologii PAN

Place of publishing:

Warszawa

Date issued/created:

1999

Description:

Referat wygłoszony na Second Meeting of the European Ornithologists' Union ; Bibliogr. p. 134 ; P. [131]-134, [2] leaves of plates : ill. ; 27 cm ; Abstract in Polish. Taxa in Latin

Type of object:

Journal/Article

Subject and Keywords:

feathers ; ultrastructure ; morphology ; congresses ; airtightness ; water repellency ; colour ; birds ; Aves

Abstract:

The usefulness of transmission and scanning electron microscopy for clarifying the finer details of feather morphology is exemplified. (1) The structure making a wing feather airtight is a ventral, membraneous extension of a barbule closing the gap between adjacent barbules. (2) The exposed part of the body plumage is a very open structure. This fact and the shape of barbules in transverse section suggest that water repellency is an important function of body plumage. (3) Two ways of producing colours resembling those of green vegetation by utilizing yellow carotenoids, blackish melanins, air and keratin are contrasted: a simple one in olive green feathers and a complex one in green feathers of Ptilinopus doves.

Relation:

Acta Ornithologica

Volume:

34

Issue:

2

Start page:

131

End page:

134

Resource type:

Text

Detailed Resource Type:

Article

Format:

application/pdf

Source:

MiIZ PAN, call no. P.257, Vol. 34, No 2 ; MiIZ PAN, call no. P.4568, Vol. 34, No 2 ; click here to follow the link

Language:

eng ; pol

Rights:

Rights Reserved - Restricted Access

Terms of use:

Copyright-protected material. Access only on terminals at the Museum and Institute of Zoology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, may be used within the limits of statutory user freedoms.

Digitizing institution:

Museum and Institute of Zoology of the Polish Academy of Sciences

Original in:

Library of the Museum and Institute of Zoology of the Polish Academy of Sciences

Projects co-financed by:

Programme Innovative Economy, 2010-2014, Priority Axis 2. R&D infrastructure ; European Union. European Regional Development Fund

Access:

Closed